Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-06-30

seeming scrutinyl But he need not have
become SO uncomfortable, for she was only
vaguely wondering what Abner would say
did he know of her venture.
"What an interesting woman, Leighton
said to his ledger that evening, MS the visit
ful eyes and pensiye, refined face OF the
new customer glided between his sleepy
vision anu the balance sheet. aI wonder
why she is SO very sad," he asked himself
presently; "looks as if shc had buried her
last friend, yet she was not in mourning.
Well, we'll; perhaps she's very poor
drunken husband or something. God
knows there are worse things than DEATH"
And he sighed again as he closed tho huge
ledger and took up his hat TO leave the
store.
He, too, had had his heart experience,
and shattered confidence and u black rib
bon running thlougha ring and tied around
| bundle of letters in o woman's hand
writing were oil he had left now, excepting
pain in his heart occasionally. And to-
| night it had reused up for some reason,
| with all its latent power in full force; per-
| 'iuPo VIC Eaet 1tiSO "a tuc CuhiOueT
from over the way had brought it all out
again in o sort of sympathetic affinity of
| soul.
She had heart acquainted with grief,
he was sure, and his heart went ont to her
in strange yearning TO assist her into the
sunshine some way. The shadows were
very hard to dwell in; he knew that. 1t
| ho rl a,,p oh Fnr 1,,t 10, 4 Jo1
| cate blossom of woman to be left out of
the sunshine, why, it was too bad!
She should be we'll paid for her work, at
any rate, and if poverty was the cause it
| could be remodied; but if it was heart
trouble, why, of course, gold and silver
were of no account as cures.
The summer had slipped its cable and
gone the way of the sunsets, and Eleanor
| Byine hnd carried several rolls of worl;
across the blue waters of the bay to
| Nichols q Leighton, and an abundance of
PIN money was the consequence.
4 And somehow it had grown TO happen that
whenever she called, the junior partner
was in. Could it be he was SO devoted 10
business that he was an ever present digit
in the calculation, or-did he guess at hc1
coming, and-.-well no matter. 1t wasn't
safe to dwell on this thought.
| Elennor's face grew hot at the intuition
her heart was daily thrusting upon her, moi
that Cullen Leighton was presuming in his
attentions, or Objectionable in his manner
toward her. On the contrary, he was stu
diously polite, as if trying to hide his
hearts secret, but his kindness had won
the love pining away in the desolate soul OF
little Mrs. Byrne, and she was at last wax
ing up TO the true drift of affairs. This
was why her heart throbbed faster, and
a flush crept up to the white temples
whenever thoughts of the junior partne,
fitted like sunshine across her mind, and,
il must be confessed, such an occupation as
thinking pleasantly of young Leighton was
frequently indulged in, here of late.
| But as yet she would not own, even to
her own heart, that this friendship for the
handsome Mr.. Leighton was getting to be Q
serious entanglement OF the affections, yet
she was conscious of it, nevertheless.
How shocked even he would be did he
know, did he realize what his kindness had
done; his generous impulses doubtless
would harden into despising her for hel
/ weakness. Well, he would never know.
Abner seemed more given over to the
.trying times" than ever before, or did il
only seem so TO her because of her habit
of contrasting his outbursts of temper
with the genial, soulful ways of her friend
over tie way?
She tiled to love him, hut he beat he,
back with his nagging, fault finding dis.
position. God only knew Of the desperate
struggles between duty and inclination
within the poor tortured soul of the wife
Sometimes duty came off conqueror, and
she turned with renewed allegiance to hel
1 husband, but as often her heart yearneG
with AN unconfessed longing toward thai
friendship--that unconscious other one
who never had given her n rebuff.
Perhaps, had Abner Byrne known of his
little wife's herculean efforts to love him il
spite of his faults, he might have softenec
and held her nearer his heart, but Eleanor
felt that she could not risk trying to make il
all clear TO him, knowing his disposition
Caring but little for others, if his own life
was satisfied, he had rigorous rules fol
measuring The gait of his fellows, while
allowing great latitude for himself. She
/ knew this, and therefore stood in morta
terror ofrevealing anything of her heart t
him.
And it had grown to be late autumn
and the gold and scarlet of the avenues
had turned to monotonous brown, drifting
nl,r ,,,lyo ,I,;,
We're gray with frosty cleaning, ant
Eleanor Byrne shivered as she came out O
the fancy emporium, for the wind blew
bitterly.
Cullen Leighton noticed it as he walked
out with her. He was very kind now, an,
had fallen into the friendly way of carry
ing her work down to the boat for her
"I am afraid you will be very cold unless
they have fire in the cabin" he said
soiicitously.
Did he know that her husband was liv
ing? she didn't know; she didn't want hin
10 find that out just yet, for all the sun
shine would go ont of her life with thu
revelation, she was sure. He was to,
) honorable TO love her as he did if he hat
knoan. she meant 10 tell him, meant Il
write il TO him afterwhile, but not yet, no
not yet.
She took the bundle from his hand
nbssntly, and in silent, strange wa,
} ceased talking with a weary sigh. An,
one On the outlook for sensational
shadow might have made quite an item o
lock and gesture, but the guileless heart o
! her companion only felt that she was ii
+ trouble. And for her, things had not a
! yet taken any definite shape. She onl,
/ wished that Abner was as good and genia
( hearted as was Cullen leighton.
She went into the cabin and sat dow
J, where the sunshine fell through the pan
in little golden waltzes, and capered owe
, her brown hair, und nestled warmly mi
the laces at her throat.
Il The boat had rung her Lell, and wa
> leaving the wharf when. n sharp, quick re
: 1,ort of n rayOlypr r,pe, ont frnp, bor Jao